ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on June 23, 2003. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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MILITARY SERVICE GESTURE FROM TSK TO EU
General Staff announced that it would shorten military service 2-4 months. In this case, number of soldiers of Turkey will decrease 92-93 thousand, and there will be a great saving.
Releasing a statement, the General Staff stated that it was decided to decrease 18-month military service of privates to 15 months, 16-month military service of reserve officers to 12 months and 8-month of short-term military service to 6 months.

GUL MEETS POWELL IN AMMAN
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, who is expected to visit Washington soon, met on Sunday with his U.S. counterpart Powell in Amman.
Sources said Powell considered the letter he got from Gul a while ago as very positive.

MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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EXCITEMENT IN SUPREME MILITARY COUNCIL
During the Supreme Military Council, which Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan will chair for the first time, Naval Forces Commander Bulent Alpkaya, Air Forces Commander Cumhur Asparuk, National Security Council (NSC) Secretary General Tuncer Kilinc, First Army Commander Cetin Dogan and third Army Commander Tamer Akbas will retire.
It is considered as certain that Fleet Commander Admiral Ozden Ornek will be appointed as Naval Forces Commander, and War Academies Commander Ibrahim Firat will be appointed as Air Forces Commander. Deputy Chief of General Staff Yasar Buyukanit is expected to be appointed as first Army Commander.

BABACAN: BUSINESSMEN WHO WILL MAKE BUSINESS IN IRAQ MAY USE THE CREDIT THAT WILL COME FROM UNITED STATES
State Minister Ali Babacan said Turkish businessmen, who will make business in Iraq, may use an important part of the 8.5 million U.S. dollars credit that will be taken from the United States.
Recalling that studies continued with the United States about Qualified Industry Zones, Babacan said this will end positively.
Babacan said they prepared an appropriate atmosphere for the companies that would make business in Turkey, stating that there was not any more bureaucracy for those who want to invest in Turkey.

SABAH (LIBERAL)
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REFERENCE OF OZAL FOR PEACE
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, who attended World Economic Forum in Jordan, suggested Middle East countries to take Turkey as a model. Showing peace projects of the eighth President Turgut Ozal as reference, Gul gave a road map including 12 items for stability in the region.

BUSH: ''OUR SOLUTION EFFORT IN CYPRUS WILL CONTINUE''
U.S. President George W. Bush sent a report about Cyprus and his efforts for providing peace to Congress leaders. Noting that they would carry on efforts for permanent and just solution, Bush said in the report, ''our serious efforts continued for convincing two sides in Cyprus within Annan solution plan. American officials including diplomats such as U.S. Secretary of State Powell, Special Coordinator Weston, Ankara Ambassador Pearson gave diplomatic support to this process.''

CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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WE SINK LIKE THIS
Turkey, whose crude oil production was 29.7 million tones in 2001, is only able to use 0.008 its solar energy potential.
Turkey uses 11 billion cubic meters of the 17 billion cubic meters of the natural gas it purchased in electricity production. If Turkey can use its 125 billion kilowatt/hour hydroelectric potential, it could meet 98.5 of its electricity consumption in 2001.

TENSION BETWEEN GOVERNMENT AND YOK ESCALATES
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan reacted against Higher Board of Education (YOK) Chairman Kemal Guruz who criticizes Justice and Development Party (AK Party) of trying to open ways from Imam-Hatip schools.
Erdogan accused Guruz of interfering in politics, and stated that, ''don't be engaged with number of parliamentarians of AK Party.''

RADIKAL (LEFT)
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THANKS TO GREECE
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan thanked Greece for its attitude towards Turkey during its European Union (EU) Term Presidency. Erdogan said, ''Turkey will prepare the criteria. EU shall prepare the public opinion.''

LETTER CONVERSATION WITH COLIN POWELL
While Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul was holding many bilateral meetings in World Economic Forum in Jordan, the most striking one was his meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell. Gul shook hands with his counterpart sincerely and met with him for 20 minutes. Iraq's interim authority chairman Paul Bremmer also attended their meeting. Gul said that Powell reacted positively to the letter which he had sent a short time ago. Gul added, ''this is very important for relations between the two countries.''

TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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GOVERNMENT PLEASED: ''WE WILL IMPLEMENT IT AS IT IS''
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said they would discuss the proposal of the General Staff, pertaining to shortening of military service, in the Cabinet.
Erdogan said necessary statement would be made after Council of Ministers meeting on Monday.
Meanwhile, National Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul said, ''I hope the proposal will be passed in the original form it came from the General Staff.''

CONSTRUCTION OF BRIDGE COLLAPSES
Bridge, which is under construction, collapsed in Ankara on Sunday injuring two workers. One person was trapped under the debris.
The construction of the bridge collapsed around 22.00 local time. Some of the workers managed to rescue themselves. Fire brigades and seven-people team from the Civilian Defense General Directorate came to the spot and started rescue efforts.

ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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TURKEY'S BEAUTIES ARE BEING WATCHED IN 50 COUNTRIES
DVD, which was prepared by Culture and Tourism Ministry to promote Turkey's beauties, is being displayed in 50 countries. Exotic images are displayed in DVD, while Istanbul, Cappadocia, Aegean, Mediterranean, Black Sea, Pamukkale, Eastern and Southeast Anatolia are being promoted. A total of 50 countries are watching the beauties of Turkey. ''Turkey'' DVD ,which was prepared by Culture and Tourism Ministry, is being displayed in 50 countries.

GUL: ''TURKEY CAN BE A SOURCE OF INSPIRATION TO MIDDLE EAST''
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said that Turkey could be a source of inspiration to the countries in the region in the fields of democracy, civil rights, supremacy of law, transparency and equality of woman and man. Gul said that a change had been needed in Middle East for a long time.

(GC-AY-AÖ) 23.06.2003